StemSave Blog

Researchers at the Salk Institute have used stem cells to understand the changes in neural development for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study has uncovered the first measurable changes in neuronal development of individuals with ASD, which is a major step toward understanding the disorder and ameliorating current therapies. The research found that by allowing the stem cells to differentiate into neurons, several developmental steps differed in cells from individuals with ASD compared to the control group. This led researchers to the conclusion that changes occur much earlier in neuronal development, since cells from individuals with ASD turn on their genes for neuronal development much earlier and the neurons grew faster compared to controls.

Researchers at University of Minnesota are seeking to improve the functionality of prosthetics by introducing human tissue into the technology thereby creating ‘bionic prosthetics.’ Engineer Michael McAlpine has taken advantage of the regenerative properties stem cells and advances in 3D printing to create bionic prosthetics that are able to send and receive signals and impulses that more closely mimic natural body parts. Utilizing the technique, McAlpine has created a bionic ear that can detect and perceive sound, as well as a retina that has photodetectors translate light into electrical signals. Combining prosthetics, 3D printing and stem cells to more closely replicate the appearance and functionality of human tissues and body parts should significantly improve the quality of life of patients who currently have conventional prosthetics that do not resemble the form nor function of the lost limb.

The U.S. Department of Defense [DOD] has approved a grant of $2 million to the University of Arizona [UA] to advance the development of their technology combining 3D printing and stem cell grafting to create a better alternative to conventional bone replacement. Current standard of care for shattered bones involves using cadaver bones and support rods to replace bones entirely. However, these treatments are often ephemeral since the cadaver bone is dead and becomes increasingly fragile over time. The technique being developed by UA utilizes advanced 3D printing to create a scaffold that mimics the structure of bone and then seeds it with the patient’s own stem cells, along with calcium, to grow a bone that will be sturdier. Since the technique will use the patient’s own stem cells, it virtually eliminates the possibility of rejection.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have made a major breakthrough in the development of a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Clinical trials are currently underway that utilize stem cells to treat Parkinson’s by injecting healthy stem cells directly into the brain. However, there is one major hurdle: the healthy injected cells can become diseased from the nearby cells exhibiting Parkinson’s symptoms. In lab tests, the researchers used CRISPR to splice the DNA of the stem cells to eradicate the gene that causes the toxic clumps of cells in the brain, which contribute to the neuronal degeneration. The edited stem cells also successfully produced dopamine, which is significantly lacking in Parkinson’s patients.

Phase III Clinical Trials to treat ALS were announced by Brainstorm Therapeutics utilizing their successful NurOwn stem cell technology to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The company has received a $16 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine [CIRM] to conduct the trial. The technology utilizes the patient’s own mesenchymal stem cells, which are differentiated to secrete neurotrophic factors that support the damaged neurons and aid the survival of other neurons. The stem cells are then injected directly into the muscle or spinal canal in order to deliver the cells directly to the areas most affected by ALS.

Researchers at Texas A&M University are utilizing stem cell injections into the brain to alleviate the most common and severe case of seizures of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) in an animal model. The experimental treatment resulted in 70% of the subjects experiencing a reduction in the number of seizures with researchers expecting the number to climb as the research advances. Current treatment of TLE involves treatment with medication [to which 40% of patients do not respond] or, invasive surgery. To eliminate this type of epilepsy, some patients have their entire hippocampus removed, which can lead to disastrous side effects impacting the patient’s mood and memory.

Biotech company, Aleph Farms, has recently developed the world’s first lab-grown steak developed from stem cells. In the last few years, huge strides have been made in the development ofculturing methodologies that mayenableresearchers and farmers to grow meat without the environmental consequences of livestock farming[while also addressing the fear of consuming antibiotic-raised livestock]. Since stem cell grown burgerswerecreated nearly 5 years ago, researchers have been working diligently to improve their stem cell differentiation techniques. Culturinga steak involvesthe replicationof complex muscular structures. Hence, a lab grown steak represents a significant advancement in differentiation technology and know-how.

Luis Suarez, a star of FC Barcelona, will undergo a stem cell treatment to alleviate pain in his knee and prevent further injury. Suarez has been dealing with intermittent spurs of pain, and a traumatic crash during a recent match exacerbated his injury and may have sidelined him for several weeks. However, Suarez’s stem cell treatment should have him back on the field in approximately 2-week's-time.

The treatment involves recovering the patient’s own stem cells (in this case mesenchymal stem cells - the same type of stem cells found in teeth), concentrating them and injecting them into the site of the injury to accelerate healing, decrease inflammation and eliminate the need for surgical intervention.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed bio-engineered replacement spinal discs. Intervertebral discs are located between the bones of the spine to absorb shock, prevent the bones from painfully rubbing together and protect the nerves of the spinal cord. Degraded discs cause intense chronic pain, which is often debilitating and diminishes a person’s quality of life. The current standard of care involves replacing a damaged disc with a synthetic replacement, which does alleviate some pain, but does not compare to real cartilage. In an animal model, autologous (the patient’s own) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were seeded into a biological scaffold where they differentiated into cartilage tissue. When the disc was fully-formed, it was surgically inserted back into the spine, and in a 20 week follow-up the disc maintained its structure and performed as normal.

BrainStorm Cell Therapuetics is currently launching a Phase II clinical trial utilizing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are cultured to develop into neurological components able to treat progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). The proprietary technology called NurOwn uses a patient’s own (autologous) MSCs that are modified outside of the body and returned to repair and support neurons that are attacked in patients with MS. The stem cells are modified to produce growth factors, which support neurons and enhance differentiation and survival of neural cells.